Self checking hat and coat locker



Aug. 12, 1958 s. A. KULIK SELF CHECKING HAT AND COAT LOCKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 061;. 21, 1954 I0. ll. l2

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A YJZ Aug. 12, 1958 s. A. KULIK SELF CHECKING HAT AND COAT LOCKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 0,015. 21, 1954 Fl GJO.

INVEN TOR.

1958 s. A. KULIK 2,847,265

SELF CHECKING HAT AND COAT LOCKER Filed Oct. 21. 1954 3 Sheet's-Sheet 3 FIG.5.

war/17111 ATTYJ United States Paten 2,847,265 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 ice This invention relates to a new clothing locker. The type of lockers here involved are those that are of a peculiar shape and which are adaptable for straight-line or semi-circular or circular formation, that is, each locker 'is so shaped that it can be combined with other similar lockers to effect the aforesaid arrangements thereof.

The invention, therefore, from the broader aspect, is directed to the new design of lockers which are similar to each other and which can be arranged in various ways as hereinafter set forth. Each individual locker may or may not include mechanism for making it coin-operated and the same may or may not be compartmented, as hereinafter set forth.

The locker is of the self checking type such as are used in public places, and is preferably circular and rotatable to permit easy access to any of the individual lockers, and to conserve space by placing the locker in a corner. The locker may also be semi-circular or a quarter size to fit in a corner where space is limited.

The lockers are coin operated and the type which has two compartments for individual use one above the other, the top compartment being used for the storage of hats and other small articles, and the bottom compartment used for handling coats, trousers as well as other articles of wearing apparel. The lockers, of course, could be used for storing anything that could fit in them, and, therefore, would not be confined to the storing of wearing apparel and the like.

Various types of self checking lockers have been designed for use in public places, but'in most cases the lockers take up considerable space, and thereby limit the number of lockers available for storing clothing such as hats, trousers and other sundry articles such as baggage, parcels and the like.

These lockers also have a lot of wasted space, and particularly the hat lockers which generally are the same length as the coat lockers.

An object of the invention is to provide a unique type of locker construction wherein a plurality of these lockers may be arranged in various relationships with respect to one another so as to effect a straight-line disposition thereof, or a semi-circular or full circular disposition thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self checking locker of the circular type which may be rotated to permit easy access to all of the lockers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self checking locker with the doors of the top and bottom compartments interconnected so the doors will open and close simultaneously.

A further object is to provide'Qa self checking locker with each unit consisting of three individual lockers with a top hat compartment and a bottom coat compartment, with the middle locker having a bottom coat compartment door which when opened will permit the hat compart-' ment door to be opened and when closed will hold the hat compartment door closed.

Another object is to provide a self checking locker 2 which rotates on circular tracks which may be of a simple construction.

A further object is to provide a self checking locker of the rotating type which is simple in construction and which will occupy a minimum of space.

Another object is to provide a self checking locker which has a top hat compartment which is not as long as the bottom coat compartments.

A further object is to provide a self checking locker which also may be semi-circular or a quarter size to give a maximum of locker space and occupy a minimum of floor space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self checking locker with each unit consisting of two or three individual lockers, with each locker unit placed alternately in a straight line between two spaced pillars or the like in the middle of a room, such as in a theatre lobby, with the front of one unit adjoining the rear of,

another unit, efltecting entry to the locker units from both sides.

Other objects which appear hereinafter also form a part of this invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters identify like parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention showing the self checking circular locker.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of the self checking circular locker.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical elevation taken along line 33 of Fig. 2 showing a hat and coat in the hat and coat compartment respectively.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing a unit consisting of three lockers with a coat mounted in the bottom compartment of the middle locker.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of the self checking locker showing the connection between the doors of the end lockers of the bottom coat compartments and the doors of the two uppermost top hat compartments to provide a simultaneous opening and closing of these doors; also the connection between the door of the middle bottom coat compartment and the door of the lowermost hat compartment to permit the hat compartment door to be held closed when the bottom coat compartment door is closed.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 66 of Fig. 5 showing the mounting of one of the hat locker doors.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 5 showing the mounting of the hat locker doors.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 88 of Fig. 4 showing the latching mechanism for holding the lowermost hat compartment door closed when the middle coat compartment door is closed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 99 of Fig. 4 showing the rails on which the lockers are rotated.

Fig. 10 is a modification showing in plan a plurality of locker units placed between two pillars or the like alternately with the front of one unit adjoining the rear of the next unit.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein Fig. l is a perspective view of the self checking circular locker generally designated A which is the preferred form of the invention. The locker A comprises a plurality of units designated B of Fig. 2 which are generally rectangular in shape in elevation and in cross section are a sector cut out of two concentric circles. These units are placed in side-by-side relationship and joined together in any conventional manner to form a circular locker. Each unit B consists of three individual lockers generally designated C of Fig. 2. These individual lockers have a top hat compartment designated D and a bottom coat compartment designated E as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, with the hat compartment mounted directly above the coat compartment.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the bottom coat compartments B have three pivoted doors 10, 11 and 12 with a coin operated lock designated 13 mounted on each door, the details of the lock not being shown and forming no part of this invention. The top hat compartments D also have pivoted doors 14, 15 and 16 as in Figs. 1 and 4. The bottom coat compartment doors and 12 are connected to the top hat compartment doors 14 and respectively to permit the simultaneous opening and closing of these doors. To permit this simultaneous opening and closing the doors 10 and 12 are connected to the doors 14 and 15 on their insides by means of elongated rods 17 and 18 respectively. The lower ends of these rods have integral lateral flanges 19, and the upper ends have integral lateral flanges 20. The flanges 19 are fixedly secured to the doors 1t and 12, and the flanges 20 are fixedly secured to the doors 14 and 15 respectively. The flanges may be secured to the doors in any conventional manner such as by bolts, rivets, welding, etc. as best shown in Fig. 5 at 21.

The elongated rods 17 and 18 are positioned through apertures 22 in the hat compartments D and apertured bushings 23 mounted between the hat compartments as best seen in Fig. 7.

The bottoms of the coat compartment doors 10 and 12 pivot about the pivot pin 24 one end of which is mounted in the bottom of the door frame 25 at 26, and the other end is mounted in the bottom of the doors 10 and 12 at 27. The tops of the hat compartment doors 14 and 15 pivot within the apertured bushings 23. It may thus be readily seen from Fig. 4 that when either of the coat compartment doors 10 and 12 are opened or closed that the doors 14 and 15, due to the elongated rods 17 and 18 being connected to these doors, will simultaneously open and close, and when either of the doors 10 and 12 are locked the doors 14 and 15 will be held closed.

The center door 11 of the bottom coat compartment as best seen in Figs. 4 and 8 is operated in conjunction with the top hat compartment door 16. This door 11 is pivotally secured at its bottom to a pivot pin 28 and at its top to pivot pin 29. Mounted on the inside face of the door 11 adjacent the top of the door at 30 is an L.-shaped bracket designated 31. This bracket is suitably secured to the door as by welding, and it has a short leg 32 and an integral leg 33 perpendicular to the leg 32. The leg 32 is positioned parallel with the vertical length of the door 11 with the leg 33 perpendicular to the inside face of the door 11 as in Fig. 8.

Mounted directly above the distal end of leg 33 a hollow generally rectangular latch assembly designated 34 which is secured to the inside horizontal face at the top of the coat compartment E at 35 by welding. The latch assembly has parallel sides 36 with an integral bottom portion 37 apertured at 38 and perpendicular to the sides 36, and an open top portion 39.

Mounted for vertical reciprocation in the assembly 34 is a spring controlled latch 40, with a spring 41 encircling the latch. One end of the spring is mounted on the latch at 42 and the other end is secured to the horizontal inside face of the top of the coat compartment E at 43. The spring 41 serves to urge the latch 40 downwardly.

The inside horizontal face 43 of the top of the coat compartment E is apertured at 44 to permit the spring controlled latch 40 to be positioned therethrough.

Secured on the inside of the hat compartment door 16 adjacent its bottom at 45 is an elongated bracket 46 apertured at its distal end at 47, the aperture 47 being in alignment with the aperture 44 and the open end top portion 39 of the latch assembly 34 to permit the vertical reciprocation of the spring controlled latch therethrough. The end of the bracket 46 is positioned perpen- 4 dicular to the inside face of the hat compartment door 16 and is secured to the integral horizontal flange 48 of the compartment door 16 in any conventional manner.

As best seen in Fig. 8 in full line position, the bracket .31 on the inside of the coat compartment door 11 engages the bottom end of spring controlled latch 40, and positions the top end of the latch in the aperture 47 of the bracket 46 thus holding the hat compartment door 16 closed when the coat compartment door 11 is closed. When the door 11 is opened as shown in the dotted lines 11, the spring controlled latch 40 is moved to the dotted line position 40 moving the top end of the latch out of engagement with the aperture 47 of the bracket 46 thus permitting the hat compartment door 16 to be opened. It may be readily seen that when the coat compartment door 11 is closed the hat compartment door 16 is held closed by means of the latch 40, and when the door 11 is locked the door 16 may not be opened.

Referring to Fig. 4, the bottom coat compartments B have horizontal rods 49 mounted adjacent the top of each compartment to permit coat hangers to be suspended therefrom. Hooks not shown may also be mounted in the compartments.

Referring to Fig. 6, to permit the elongated rod 17 to be positioned through the inside of the hat compartment door 15, the door at its free end has a U-shaped slot designated 50. The lateral flanges 20 of the rod are fixedly secured to the door 14 with the end of the rod pivoting within the bushing 23.

In Fig. 9 is shown the rails on which the lockers are rotated. Secured to the underside 51 of the circular lockers A are two radially spaced concentric circular guides designated 52 which are an inverted U-shaped in cross section, the guides being preferably secured to the underside 51 as by welding. The circular guides 52 ride on equally radially spaced concentric circular rails designated 53 which are generally T-shaped in cross section. The bottom of the rails are mounted in a U-shaped depression 54 in circular base plates 55 which are attached to a floor F by means of threaded bolts 56 which are positioned in apertures 57 in the circular base plates 55.

To permit the circular lockers A to be easily rotated by means of the circular guides 52 riding on the rails 53 anti-friction ball bearings 57' are placed on the top horizontal surface 58 and the curved surface 59 of the rails 53 thus effecting a good rolling contact between the circular guides 52 and the rails 53. Other anti-friction means may be employed to elfect rolling contact between the guides 52 and the rails 53.

In operation when it is desired to gain access to an individual hat and coat compartment a coin is inserted in the coin operated lock 13, and when either the bottom coat compartment door 10 or 12 is opened the top hat compartment door 14 or 15 will be simultaneously opened due to the interconnection of the elongated rods 17 or 18 on these doors, and when the door 10 or 12 is closed the door 14 or 15 will also be simultaneously closed. When the door 10 or 12 is locked, the door 14 or 15 will be held closed.

If it is desired to gain access to the middle bottom coat compartment a coin is inserted in the lock 13 to open the door 11, which when opened permits the spring controlled latch 40 to move out of engagement with the apertured bracket 46 mounted on the inside of the hat compartment door 16 as previously explained, permitting the door 16 to be opened. When the door 11 is closed bracket 31 strikes the end of the spring controlled latch 40 moving it upwardly into engagement with the aperture 47 in bracket 46 thus holding the hat compartment door 16 closed.

When only a semi-circular locker is desired, the diametrical side of the semi-circular locker may be placed against a wall furnishing a maximum of locker space and occupying only a minimum of floor space. If only a quarter size locker is desired, it may be placed in a corner to give a maximum of locker space and likewise occupy a minimum of floor space. Of course/the semicircular locker or the quarter size locker would not have to be rotated to gain access to the individual lockers.

In Fig. is shown in plan a slightly modified form and arrangement of lockers L, generally triangular in cross section, with the base of the triangular section being arcuate. Each unit L is placed alternately side by side in a substantially straight line between two pillars P or the like, with the front F of one unit L adjoining the rear of the next unit, permitting access to the units from both sides. Although not shown, these units are structurally the same as the locker units previously described, with each unit having two or three individual lockers, and each locker having a bottom compartment and a top compartment.

Although the locker unit has been described as comprising three individual lockers having a top and bottom compartment, it is to be understood that only one individual locker could be constructed having a top and bottom compartment. Any number of these individual lockers could then be placed in any position and used for the storing of articles, with the lockers having the same common means to hold the top compartment closed when the bottom compartment is locked.

It is also to be understood that the middle bottom coat compartment door 11 of the three locker unit may have, in lieu of the structure shown in detail in Fig. 8 for holding the hat compartment 16 closed when the door 11 is closed, the same common means for simultaneously opening and closing the door 16 when the door 11 is opened and closed, i. e., a similar elongated rod as the rods 17 and 18 may be connected to the door 11 and the door 16. This will then make the coat compartment doors and the hat compartmentdoors all have a common connection for simultaneously opening and closing these doors.

From the foregoing description of the two modifications and arrangements of the lockers it will be seenthat the lockers can be arranged circularly or semi-circularly or in a substantially straight line. There are other arrangements that obviously can be effected in the use of these lockers and the same could, of course, be used to form partitions or divide ofi any area so as to substantially enclose that area. Obviously the locker units may be placed between other objects than pillars and it is conceivable that they coud be placed between two articles of furniture or whatever it may be, and still perform their intended function.

While the check or coin controlled means is desirable in some instances, in other instances it may not be necessary, so the use of the coin controlled means and the means for opening the several compartments simultaneously, hereinbefore described, is also optional, but here it must be stated that the use of the means for simultaneous opening of the compartments is desirable.

While the arrangement of the lockers in Fig. 10 shows the fronts thereof on an arc of a circle, it is to be understood that these fronts F can be flat. It is further understood that the apex of the individual locker may actually come to a point as shown in Fig. 10, or the apex may be eliminated, so to speak, and produce a flat or substantially fiat end opposite the base.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1.. A self contained locker unit comprising spaced side walls and a' pair of intermediate partition walls spaced from. each other and the side walls to define three side by'side, vertically elongate and narrow coat compartments, there being three superposed hat compartments above the coat compartments formed between opposite side wall portions and vertically spaced shelf members with the hat compartments being wider than the individual coat compartments, closure means for all of said compartments, means interconnecting the two opposite side coat compartment closure means with respective ones of the two uppermost hat compartment means so that the interconnected closure means are opened and closed simultaneously and as a unit, latch means engaging the closure means of the lowermost hat compartment, and means connected with said latch means to release the same and permit the last mentioned closure means to be opened when the center coat compartment closure means is opened.

2. A self contained locker unit comprising a pair of vertical side walls disposed in converging relation from front to rear thereof, a top wall rigidly interconnecting said side walls, a rear wall extending between said side walls, a partition wall disposed between said side Walls extending from the bottom thereof and terminating in spaced relation below said top wall, a shelf member secured between said side walls and resting upon said partition wall to present narrow, side by side coat compartments between the partition wall and side walls, a second shelf member disposed between the first shelf member and the top wall to present superposed hat compartments between the first shelf member and the top wall, both of which hat compartments extend the full width of the unit between the side Walls thereof, and separate closure means for all of said compartments, means interconnecting the closure means of one coat compartment with the closure means of a corresponding hat compartment whereby the opening of said one coat compartment closure means and the closure means of the corresponding hat compartment is effected simultaneously.

3. The locker unit as defined in and by claim 2 wherein the last mentioned means includes an elongate rod having integral lateral flanges at its opposite ends secured respectively to the corresponding closure means of one hat compartment and said one coat compartment.

4. The locker unit. as defined in and by claim 2 wherein means is provided interconnecting the other coat compartment closure means with the closure means of its associated hat compartment so that when said other coat compartment closure means is closed, the corresponding hat compartment closure means is held closed, the last mentioned means including a hollow generally rectangular latch assembly in which is positioned a spring controlled vertical reciprocating latch, the lower end of which is engaged. when said closure is closed and locked by the distal end of a horizontal bracket secured on the inside of said closure to move said latch upwardly to engage the distal end of an apertured horizontal bracket mounted on the inside of the other closure to hold such closure closed, and when said locked closure is unlocked said latch assembly permits said closure to be opened.

Klein Jan. 3, 1905 Leese Aug. 11, 1908 (Other references on following page) 8 Johnson May 21, 1942 Levensten June 26, 1942 Piggott Feb. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 5, 1920 

